---
Sunagakure - Secret Archive Chamber
Gaara led Naruto through rows of ancient bookshelves, heading toward the innermost section of the chamber. He stopped before a large, reinforced box, opened it, and carefully pulled out a thick, long scroll with both arms.
"Here it is. This is the forbidden technique scroll that has been sealed away by every Kazekage since the founding of Sunagakure."
Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned. "I didn't expect Suna's Sealed Scroll to be this thick!"
Gaara looked at him curiously. "Is it the same in Konoha?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I remember stealing it once when I was a kid. My Shadow Clones played hooky from that scroll."
Gaara chuckled at the confession. "You've always been good at that sort of thing."
They reached the center of the chamber, where a sandstone table and bench sat waiting.
Gaara unrolled the massive scroll, carefully searching its contents.
"I remember Granny Chiyo once delved into the puppet arts so deeply that she tried to give life to a puppet. That's when she developed the Reanimation Technique. But because of the risk and moral concerns, her father had it sealed away in this scroll."
As Gaara explained, he passed through the section marked with the Fourth Kazekage's seal, scanning each recorded forbidden jutsu.
Naruto followed closely behind, eyes scanning the strange symbols and jutsu formulas. "I didn't realize Sunagakure had this many powerful forbidden techniques!"
Gaara looked up and offered calmly, "If you want to learn them, I'll teach you."
Naruto waved his hand quickly. "Nah, I haven't even finished studying Konoha's sealing techniques yet."
Gaara gave a knowing smile. He understood that Naruto was referencing his past life as Hokage.
"Found it."
His finger landed on a particular line of text.
Reanimation (Kishō Tensei no Jutsu)
Developer: Chiyo
Type: Forbidden Ninjutsu
Rank: S-Rank
Description:
A forbidden technique that sacrifices the user's life to distribute their remaining chakra and life force to the deceased, reviving them.
This technique can be used on both the living and the dead.
When used on the deceased, the caster's chakra forcibly reintegrates the soul into the body until the jutsu is complete.
Upon activation, the user emits a strong cyan glow, expelling massive amounts of chakra before death.
Warning: Requires a tremendous amount of chakra or life force to execute.
Hand Seals:
[...Seals not fully transcribed...]
After reading the entry, both Gaara and Naruto fell silent.
"Granny Chiyo... you really were amazing," Naruto murmured.
Gaara nodded solemnly.
Naruto's voice wavered slightly with emotion. "I remember... she once told me she was glad a ninja like me had emerged in this rotting world shaped by the old generation. She hoped I would become someone who surpassed all previous Hokage."
Gaara took a deep breath and exhaled. "Yeah. Granny Chiyo entrusted her future to you and me."
A smile formed on Naruto's lips. "Then I absolutely won't let the Ōtsutsuki destroy this world. If we end up in the Pure Land, Granny Chiyo will definitely chew us out."
"That's very likely," Gaara replied, nodding with a faint smile.
Suddenly, Gaara drew a kunai and sliced off the section of the scroll that contained the Reanimation Technique.
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "Hey! What the hell are you doing!?"
Gaara handed the piece of parchment to Naruto. "I'm giving it to you. What else?"
Naruto was stunned. He raised his hands in protest. "Bro, I could've just copied it! You cut it straight out of your clan's Sealed Scroll! Isn't this a big deal!?"
Gaara shrugged indifferently. "You should've said something earlier. I already cut it. Are you taking it or not?"
Naruto sighed and accepted the scroll piece, tucking it away carefully.
"Alright, I'll return it once I finish studying it. Have someone sew it back on for you."
Thankfully, the scroll was made from the best camel hide in the desert—durable, flexible, and easy to repair.
Looking at the stitching patterns running along the scroll, Naruto couldn't help but think that no camel could be that big. From the First to the Fifth Kazekage, each generation had sealed and stitched their additions to the scroll. That's how it became this long and dense.
"So now that I've got the technique, is there anything else you need me for?" Naruto asked, slinging his arm around Gaara's shoulder.
"Come with me. Since you're here, help me buy some things. I'll consider it a memory worth keeping."
---
At Granny Chiyo's Grave
Naruto laid out fruits, cakes, and flowers before the tombstone.
"Granny Chiyo... I came to visit you."
Gaara stood behind Naruto. The desert wind blew softly, lifting the corners of Naruto's coat and Gaara's Kazekage robes.
Not far away, Temari and Kankuro stood atop a nearby wall, silently watching.
Kankuro adjusted the position of his puppet Crow, gazing at Naruto. "He hasn't really changed. He's still the same Naruto. But something about him feels... heavier. Like he's had to let go of that sunny innocence to grow up."
Temari glanced at her brother, then looked at Naruto. "He's hard to understand. But he has this strange power... he changes people. You help him before you even realize you're doing it."
Naruto touched Granny Chiyo's tombstone, wiping away tears at the corners of his eyes. Then he stood up and took a deep breath.
"Gaara."
Gaara stepped forward.
"I need you to take the lead moving forward. The Five Great Nations are taking too long to organize the Allied Shinobi Forces.
You've seen the memories I synchronized for you. This time, you'll be the Commander of the Alliance. I'm counting on you to accelerate the coalition's formation and strike at Obito quickly.
Right now, Obito doesn't have the Rinnegan, so his chances of summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and reviving the Ten-Tails are slim. The only threat he has at the moment is the army of a hundred thousand White Zetsu.
The real problem is Kabuto's Edo Tensei. Those undead shinobi will be a major headache."
Gaara nodded. "Yeah. I saw it in the memory. My father was resurrected too..."
That revelation had struck Gaara deeply. From Naruto's memories, he had learned a hidden truth that moved him to the core.
The sand that had always protected him wasn't Shukaku's power. It was his mother's love.
Absolute Defense—that was the name.
His mother's love had encased and shielded him, protecting him through all the pain and loneliness. That knowledge warmed his heart and filled him with an unshakable strength.
Naruto looked at Gaara seriously. "I'll deal with Kabuto as soon as I can. But we'll need that undead army to apply pressure. People who've never experienced the pain of war will never truly understand it."
Gaara didn't respond immediately.
He had already seen the outcome—the unprecedented peace that would emerge among the Five Great Nations after the war. A future where shinobi from all villages began to understand, accept, and even learn from each other.
He trusted Naruto's judgment.
"I understand. I'll act quickly."
Naruto smiled and extended his hand.
Gaara frowned. "Leaving already? Won't you stay a few more days?"
Naruto shook his head. "We'll have time for that in the future. Plenty of time."
Gaara reached out and grasped Naruto's hand, a firm handshake echoing the one from their parting years ago.
With a cry from above, the giant bird from the Animal Path descended. Naruto leapt onto its back and flew high into the sky, signaling to the entire village that he had departed.
Gaara watched until Naruto was just a speck in the sky. Then he looked down and rolled up the sleeve of his arm—the same arm Naruto had grasped during their handshake.
Etched into his skin, glowing faintly, were four words:
"Sword of Shinobi Bonds."
Gaara smiled softly, remembering Naruto's explanation of the mark's purpose.
This was his protection—Naruto's way of looking after him, even from afar.
He gently pulled down his sleeve and turned back toward the village.
---
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